The expenses that can be incurred during the latter portion of your life can be considerable. A high percentage of older Americans need assistance with their day-to-day needs, and long-term care costs are exorbitant these days.

Things will probably get worse before they get any better. The charges for assisted-living communities and nursing homes have been rising each year, and experts see no end to the upward spiral in sight.

While some people may consider living assistance to be a matter of medical need, Medicare doesn’t look at it that way. Medicare won’t pay for an extended stay in a long-term care facility. It will cover up to 100 days of convalescent care and that is the extent of it.

In-Home Care

Depending on your level of need it may be possible to receive the living assistance you need in your own home. Statistics indicate that the vast majority of seniors who need long-term-care actually do remain at home. They usually engage the assistance of family members and friends.

Coordinating in-home care is often going to require communication. While there are exceptions, for the most part people are not going to offer their assistance if they don’t know that it is necessary.

Many people are proud and this is understandable. However, this is an obstacle to overcome because there are certain eventualities of aging that everyone faces. It is likely that there are people who care that would be more than glad to provide a support system.

When everyone who is willing and able communicates openly it may be possible to create a schedule and share the responsibilities. The senior will get to enjoy the company of various different family members and friends, and no one person is overly taxed.

Emotional Benefits

Clearly, when you receive living assistance at home you are saving a great deal of money. In 2012 the average annual expense for residence in an assisted-living community was over $42,000. People often spend multiple years in these facilities.

However, there are also emotional benefits that go along with remaining at home. Senior citizens are often challenged by various different losses. As retirees they don’t have interaction with coworkers anymore. Many people lose their spouses, and the children are long gone.

The familiarity of your home can be very important if you are a senior citizen who has already been forced to accept many different changes.

Physical Structure

It is possible to modify your home to accommodate any physical limitations that you may have. This can include the installation of grab bars, handrails, motion sensor faucets and whatever other modifications may be useful.

There may be expenses involved, but they can be minimal compared to the bills that would accumulate if you were to move to an assisted-living community.

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Ryan M. DenmanandDennis D. Duffy

Duffy Law Office, PLLC